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28 July 2017

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kohl's for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

First off, a huge thank you to all of you who showed up to the Kohl's BeautyEvent last weekend. I had a blast with all of you. A special thanks to Tracy and Melanie for hanging out with me all day and letting me show you the Kohl'sBeauty Department. It's amazing right? If you weren't able to make it I highly suggest you head into your local Kohl's and check out everything your store has to offer. Not nearby? You can find just about everything online at Kohls.com.

A little more about the event. I had the chance to check out all things beauty during the Semi-Annual Beauty Event at Kohl's and I think it's safe to say I found a few favorites that are now sitting in my beauty closet.

First off, the beauty advisors know their stuff. We teamed up to give a customer a whole new brow look and they were on top of their game with finding just the right products to achieve a bold yet natural brow look. So, if you're on the hunt for a certain look but not exactly sure what products you want to try, you're going to want to beeline over to those gals because they are sharp and they will hook you up!

Next, I spent some time learning about the brands, what kind of products each brand offers and what how to use them. For example, they have a large selection of heat-styling tools. I got to try out the InStyler MAX 2-Way Rotating Iron during the event and it was pretty awesome. You can check me out giving it a go in the video below. It's super easy to use and you can curl AND straighten your hair with one tool. Win and Win.

Of course, every trip to the beauty department requires putting together a little haul and I definitely played favorites with theBalm (longtime fan over here of the Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter), Real Techniques, Cargo, and Butter London. Did you know that Butter London isn't just amazing nail polish anymore? They now have a wide selection of gorgeous lip colors, mascara and eye palettes. I'll take all of the above please.

Since I'm not quite ready to start transitioning my sights to fall related clothing and accessories I figure I should allot myself a few new summer pieces that will work now and later. I just can't justify buying sweaters when I really want to be wearing floaty summery dresses. So, I'm rounding up 6 pieces under $100 that work just fine now and for when the weather starts to cool down a bit.

First up, this adorable dot wrap dress from Mixology. It's great for outdoor outings now with sneakers and will be even better paired with an over the knee suede boot later. If you haven't shopped Mixology yet they have some great fashion finds and have free shipping on orders over $75. I'm giving away $50 to shop their store so be sure to comment below with your favorite piece to enter to win!Dress, $88.

And these leggings. They.are.amazing. It's literally the only item from the Nordstrom sale that I even considered buying and you can thank Jackie because sold me on these. I'm super happy with the quality and how flattering they are on my post-baby bod. I'll take two please! Zella Lived in high waisted leggings, $35.90

Next, this adorable pj set from Bloomingdales. I actually picked it up in stores last night and I'm feeling the need for a duplicate because it's that comfortable. Plus, anything bohemian related is ok in my boot. Tassels, tie and embroidery for the win! P.s. I also bought this robe. Josie Pajama Set, $30.40 (extra 20% off with summer).

Ok, I'm kind of on the fence about this next pick but I'm leaning towards purchasing it. It's a leather belt bag. I mean for $13 at Tjmaxx, I feel like it's worth a shot and It's actually super cute and in no way shape or form resembles a fanny pack. Braided Tassel Leather Belt Bag, $12.99

Another T.J.Maxx find that I literally just ordered are these nude espadrilles. I've been on the hunt for a good pair all summer and after seeing this suede pair and for under $30 I was sold! Maypol Espadrilles, $29

And finally, these Sugarfix by Baublebar Earrings while doing my usual Target browse and didn't hesitate to add them to my cart. I love the black but there's other color options. Earrings, $12.99

Shop my finds and don't forget to enter to win $50 to Mixology below. Just comment on your favorite find and you're all set. I'll pick a winner at random on Monday August, 7th and announce/notify the winner by email. Xo.

27 July 2017

Now that July is nearing it's end it's time to start thinking about Back To School for the boys. While we have a good month or so until school is officially back in session, I'd much rather plan ahead and shop what I need now rather than later. Trust me on this one, it's better to beat the back-to-school crowds and shop earlier (especially when it comes to school supplies). Also it doesn't hurt that Kohl's is currently having their Friends and Family sale until the 30th so an extra 20% off (with promo code "FAMFRIENDS") doesn't hurt the situation.

This year, I've partnered with Kohl's to kick off the upcoming school year with a few back to school styles for myself and the boys (who were more than happy to pick out a couple outfits and show off their very strong personalities during the shoot). Naturally, Aid had to show off his dance moves and even drew in a little crowd when we were shooting off Houston. So I think it's safe to say he had a good time.

But back to the picks! For me, I wanted a back to school look that could be easily thrown together with minimal effort for those days where I'm running late for drop off or pick up (which is basically every day during the first week). So this super soft off-the-shoulder dress from Apt 9® ($25) was the most obvious choice. Comfort.is.key. It comes in a handful of colors, I just ordered it in Coral. I also wanted a pair of sandals that I can easily slip on while heading out the door. Back-to-school often means straps and laces get to be a hassle real quick, so these SO® Knot Sandals are the perfect remedy until the fall weather trickles in. These also come in a bunch of colors and are only $15! Of course I had to have a splurge item since my shoes and dress ran me under $40. This (real) leather ring bag had to come home with me. It not only has the coveted ring handles but it also has a crossbody strap when you need to go hands-free. I've been wearing it on repeat over the last few weeks and I'm sure you've already spotted it in a couple of outfit posts. It's a must!

For the boys, they both insisted on graphic tees for their first day back. So The Beatles tee and Good Vibes tee ended up in our cart. Both were from Jumping Beans®, who has great options in the graphic tee department for under $10.

26 July 2017

My summer beauty routines are all about getting things done with the least amount of effort and heat. Especially when it comes to hair. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that the last thing anyone wants to do when it's 90˚degrees out is pull out the blow dryer and sit under it for 30 minutes. Hard pass. So air drying it is. But I will admit my waves don't always dry evenly, so I DO need a little help with styling tools (thankfully their heat emission is a fraction of blow dryers so I can walk away without sweating a big ol' puddles worth). I usually grab a styling wand but it's been proven that I sometimes can't manage it without burning myself. (Note the nickel size scar on my right wrist for proof of wand vs. Megan take 100.) Anyhow, I'm always looking for something a little more user-friendly to get the beachy wave look without the hassle (or the 2nd degree burns).

If you've been reading along for a while you might remember me teaming up with Conair to try their Curl Secret last September. After finally getting into a rhythm with it, I found it was way easier than using a curling wand, and I got some seriously fun bouncy curls. Well, Conair just launched the NEW Curl Secret 2.0in-stores nationwide now for just under $100. Now you have the choice of a tighter bouncy curl or a beachy wave with the interchangeable titanium ceramic chambers in 1" and 1 1/4" sizes. I feel like at this point there's no need for a surplus of curling wands because this styling tool basically does-it-all. The curl chamber gently draws hair in and holds it while it's heated from all directions. *Hair should be without tension in the chamber, if it feels tight remove hair immediately and start over.

The Conair Curl Secret 2.0 features 2 heat levels, 6 timer settings and allows you to choose the direction of your curl with right, left and alternating curl direction settings. It doesn't hurt that it heats up in 30 seconds and maintains constant temperature. It also has an auto shut-off after 60 minutes and a sleep mode to lower the temperature after 20 minutes of idle time.

The before:

(Truth: I braved the heat of the blow dryer and definitely tripped the breaker to make sure it was straight and smooth for a dramatic before and after photo.)

The After:

Tips for using Conair Curl Secret 2.0:

Make sure you don't let any flyaways into the barrel, or your hair may get tangled in the styler. It took me 4-5 times of my hair getting tangled to narrow it down to random fly aways getting drawn in with the hair piece I was trying to curl. If you take too much hair, or your hair is not going through the center of the appliance, the Curl Secret 2.0 will stop and beep to indicate a problem. So, take the extra step to make sure it's just a smooth piece of hair going in, you'll thank me later.

The smaller the piece of hair, the better the curl. Work with 1/2" - 1" sections of hair.

You should be working with clean, dry and tangle free hair. Yes, it has a tangle safety feature, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. No one wants to have to gently work their hair out of the curl chamber.

Don't let the learning curve throw you off. It takes some practice to get the hang of it and once you do it's way easier and quicker than using a wand.

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. I received the InfinitiPRO by Conair® Curl Secret® 2.0 for my own personal use. All opinions, text and experiences are my own.

24 July 2017

It think it's safe to say that my summer uniform has consisted solely on light-weight, floaty dresses that can be taken from day to night. While I'm usually drawn to a bright and playful print I couldn't resist the tiny pop of texture on this little white linen dress. I mean, everyone is wearing tassels right now so having add some color and texture to my dress definitely doesn't hurt the situation. Add an oversized market bag and fun sandals and we're talking summer uniform status.